Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, great food, a relaxing day with friends and family, and lots of leftovers. I have cooked and been cooked for each year and always enjoy tasting the different touches that are added by each family tradition to the traditional meal. One of the biggest challenges is choosing wine that will satisfy everyones differing likes and tastes. Recently I sat down and reviewed tasting notes for the past year, reopened some of the wines and tried some new ones to see what would be a terrific crowd pleaser and excellent food wines for Thanksgiving.

White wine is always a staple at our celebrations, and the wine that works best with turkey, stuffing and all of the other flavors is a Gewurtztraminer, Pacific Rim from Washington $11, is one of the best bang for the buck ones we have seen this year. Layering notes of allspice and pear, with a delicate floral and fruit nose, great acidity and a touch of sweetness. A perfectly balanced wine that will bring out the flavors of the turkey and stuffing along with desserts. If you prefer something a little more full bodied and less sweet, Carmel Road Monterey Chardonnay $18 is a perfect choice, showing notes of pear, vanilla and creamy lemon bar notes. This is a full bodied chardonnay, with loads of finesse and elegance, it would work well with turkey, but would also stand up to quail and other game birds. If a real mixed bag of guests are coming by and you need something that will keep everyone happy, Kendall-Jackson's Summation white $17, which is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Chardonnay along with five other white grapes. The blend has notes of tropical fruit, stone fruit, and a touch of floral. It is a terrific wine that delivers loads of quality for the price, and would work perfectly with almost any Thanksgiving feast.

Red wines can be more tricky, you will have some that love the big, deep, dark cabernets and others that will want a lighter red to go with turkey. The wine that always says to me we have started the holidays is Beaujolais Nouveau. It is always released the 3rd Thursday of November, and becomes a staple at our holiday gatherings. The one that is consistently delicious and affordable is Georges Duboeuf Beaujolias Nouveau 2011 $10. This wine is full of ripe strawberries and cherries, also some notes of spice and acidity, but this wine has all of the freshness and style of a perfect food and everyday get together wine. You will be hard pressed to find another wine that makes everyone happy and goes with a Thanksgiving meal as well as this one. If you are serving beef or venison along with turkey, you might want to also have a more full bodied red, Franciscan Merlot $23 is terrific choice, waves of black plums, dark chocolate, black berries and a touch of oak, fill out each sip and would pair perfectly with more full bodied meals that a cabernet may overpower. If you are going to want to have a big cabernet, Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $105 would be a show stopper, big lush dark fruit notes along with hints of leathery earthiness, and creamy jam like feel on the finish. This is a big gun for a serious meal. If this is the wine you decide on, make sure you decant it at least an hour or two before you plan on serving it or find an older vintage.

Another part of the meal that you can have some fun with wine is the beginning and ending of the meal, but don't take me wrong, any of these wines could be enjoyed throughout the whole feast. Champagne and Sparkling wine is a perfect start to any celebration, with the popping of the cork and clinking of the glasses, you know it is time to start enjoying. Our neighbor in North Carolina, Biltmore Estate is producing a Blanc de Blancs Brut $32, made from 100% chardonnay grapes grown at their estate, it has layers of delicate citrus zest and pineapple notes in each dry and refreshing sip. Another winner is J Sparkling Rose $28, with notes of strawberries, rose petals, and a delicate dryness, this is a personal favorite that we always keep in the fridge and will look for any excuse to open a bottle. A new sparkling wine is Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Brut $10, delivering nice apple, creamy ripe pears and a zip of citrus zest on the finish. A terrific value sparkling wine for any occasion. All of the sparkling wines pair perfectly with seafood, especially shellfish in addition to fruit dishes. For dessert you might want to think about a port, especially if you are serving chocolate or nutty dishes. Cockburn's Special Reserve Port $16 delivers a concentrated dark plum and blackberry nose, and a velvety red berry sweetness in each sip.

You might want to to try a couple bottle of each kind and make it a culinary wine adventure this year. Be sure to stay safe and drink responsibly. Cheers!